For households in rural areas or regions where traditional ISPs still fall short, Starlink has become a lifeline for fast, reliable internet. The satellite service has opened up access in places that once had few options, and now it's rolling out one of its most affordable offers yet for new customers.
Right now, the Starlink standard kit is marked down to $175, which is a 50% cut from its usual $349 price. Unlike past promotions that were limited to certain areas, this discount is available nationwide, giving anyone who's been curious about Starlink a chance to try it at a lower cost.
The company hasn't shared how long the deal will stick around. Previous discounts have lasted for a few months, but availability can change without warning. If you've been considering making the switch to satellite internet, this could be the best time to test Starlink while saving money up front.
Is Starlink your best option for internet service?
Starlink has been a game changer for many people living in rural areas but I generally only recommend it as a last resort. That's partly because of its high price tag -- its standard rate of $120 per month is still far higher than the $78 average price in the US -- and partly because of its performance.
According to a recent report from the speed test site Ookla, Starlink users receive median speeds of 105Mbps down and 15Mbps up. That's plenty of bandwidth for many households but it still falls short of what the Federal Communications Commission defines as broadband. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
Starlink's median download speeds have nearly doubled since 2022, according to Ookla.
The speeds you get from Starlink are also dependent on how many users there are in your area. One recent study from Penn State University found that Starlink's satellites can handle just 6.66 households per square mile before service starts to dip below the FCC's minimum standard. That doesn't mean you won't have enough speed to do everything you need online -- a Zoom meeting only requires about 4Mbps, for instance -- but it does give you an idea of how network congestion impacts Starlink.
If there's a cable or fiber internet connection available at your address, I'm always going to recommend one of those over Starlink. They might come with their own frustrations, but they're almost always faster and cheaper than satellite providers.
Read more: Choose the Best Internet Provider for Your Home With Help From an Expert
To see what's available to you, enter your address on the FCC's broadband map. You'll see a list of providers, the type of technology they use and the speeds they say they can deliver.